The Eternal Prince
by Moonphase
Summary: AU. Light is the Guardian of the Earth. When he is reincarnated to the time of the Humans, he is horrified at the state of the Earth, and decides to cleanse it...with devastating consequences... Based of Old World Folktales/fairytales.


Once upon a time there was a magical Prince. This Prince was eternal; he lived millennium after millennium.

How, you ask?

Because the Gods in the sky, when creating the Earth decided that the planet needed a wise and fair guardian. So, when it was all plant life, this leader was the Great Oak Tree whose wide boughs fed and sheltered all of the birds. None of them ever starved and at that point there was no winter, so its leaves never left him.

Later, when animals walked the mossy plains, the Prince was a giant, golden Lion whose roar could be heard for miles around. He did not need to eat any other animals, but he was the Protector of all the weak. He made sure not too many died. He made sure everything remained in balance. Did you know that balance is the most important thing in the world?

Later, when humans walked the earth the Prince was transformed into the most beautiful boy in the world. He was taller than most, lean and with bronze locks and golden eyes. Now, it is important to mention that every time the Prince awoke anew, he forgot his past life. Every time, like how every spring the Earth has to re-learn how to grow, so did the Prince at each birth.

Well, on waking up to our Human Era, this Prince was distraught to see the Earth had been ruined. The ground was plastered over in concrete and covered in filth. While some people were too fat, others were too thin. Sadness and injustice and anger abounded.

The Prince decided to have a cleanup of the Earth and the souls of humans.

He went to the Wise Woman, an old witch who wore nothing but pure white bandages, and he asked her, "What will help me clean the Earth?"

"The Light, my child, the Light is needed, the Light on top of the ladder that is in the white desert."

So the Prince went out into the white desert. In the middle of the desert was a giant ladder made out of sea-shells. It was so high in the air, that the top could not be seen, and the sky was cloudless! Steadily, the Prince bravely climbed up it. It was so high that it reached into outer space, but the Prince was not afraid.

Once at the top the Prince looked around. All around him were beautiful stars, each with a low blue light.

"I need a light to cleanse the earth." He called.

"Choose me," called one light.

"No me!" Spoke another.

THe stars began to bicker amongst themselves before being interrupted. **"Ha! You will not waste your time with those weaklings will you?" **A deep voice boomed out, silencing the stars. The Prince turned to see the blinding brightness of the sun. Each flame looked smugly at him. **"Choose on of us instead!**

**We are power!**

**WE ****ARE**** LIGHT!"**

Fascinated with their strength, the power-seduced Prince took a flame from the sun.

"No!" Wailed the stars. "It is too much! It's too much power! You will burn!"

But the Prince could not hear their warnings; his eyes were riveted to the flame.

Down on Earth, the Prince shone the light out. "Cleanse the Earth, O mighty Light; cleanse the earth and all that reside on it."

With a huge bellow, the flame flared up, reaching as high as the sky and spreading across the land. Greedily it ate up everything. The land was left ruined, scorched and bare.

The Prince was distraught! He had never intentioned this!

Eventually, the flame, greedy to the point of madness, even began to eat itself, it's self destruction killing the last source of light.

Then everything was dark.

The Prince sobbed alone. "I only wanted to cleanse the Earth." He wept. "I did not want to destroy it…"

So busy was the Prince crying that he did not notice that each tears that fell, began to glisten a soft blue light and move in its own regard.

As each of the newly born stars began to dance around him, he slowly opened his eyes and noticed them

"Don't cry," whispered one of the stars. "I am but a low light, but together, lets re-build the world." Wiping his tears the Prince nodded and with Lowlight, they began to bring the universe back to its former glory.

However, the Prince made this one vital change. Once, every year, there would be a winter. The winter would be cold and dark. This was done to remind the Prince and everyone else, the dangers of arrogant bright light when attempting to make things better.

From then on, even when the Prince was re-born, he and Lowlight were born together. So the Prince not only gained extra wisdom, but also a friend.

And they stayed together.

For Forever and Always.

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**A/N- Just another silly fairytale I made up and used in 'A Death Note Carol,' but thought was appropriate for a K rating, so it's the oldest out of all the Death Note fairytales I've written so far. I actually wonder if this is a fairytale. It seems more like a folk tale to me.**

**Low-Light is how L's name Lawliet is pronounced in Japanese. (I always thought Law-lee-yet. Go figure.)  
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**Anyway, please review, it's greatly appreciated when you do ;)**


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